Travelers with Spirit scrambling to book new flights, secure refunds after airline closure
Spirit travelers scramble to book new flights and secure refunds
On early Saturday morning, Spirit announced it was permanently closed, meaning if you had a return flight booked, you were left scrambling to find a new way home. For those who had booked a flight in the near future, passengers were told by the airline not to go to the airport, as no one was working there to help them. Instead, they were told they were eligible for a refund through a reserve fund the airline set up.
ROMULUS, Mich. (FOX 2) - For those looking to book their next flight, reality is setting in as a popular affordable airline is no longer an option. Spirit ended operations on Saturday, prompting people to scramble to book flights and look for refunds.
Big picture view:
Customers knew that Spirit was a no-frills, low-cost way to get from A to B and now that this is no longer an option, many are left wondering if they will be able to afford to fly again.
On early Saturday morning, Spirit announced it was permanently closed, meaning if you had a return flight booked, you were left scrambling to find a new way home. For those who had booked a flight in the near future, passengers were told by the airline not to go to the airport, as no one was working there to help them. Instead, they were told they were eligible for a refund through a reserve fund the airline set up.
FOX 2 spoke with one customer from Detroit who did get a refund at around 7 p.m. on Monday. As for those who needed help getting home, other airlines offered rescue fares to help those left stranded.
Others are worried that the end of Spirit Airlines is just the beginning.
"It was mainly the airline for people who needed affordability, people who want to travel like anyone else but couldn’t afford it," said Spirit passenger Cierra Roberts. "I think it’s messed up. Hopefully they figure something out."
Dig deeper:
One of the major reasons being blamed for the closure is the high cost of jet fuel, and that remains an issue for all other operational airlines as well. We’re told fuel accounts for 20% to 40% of operational costs and that will be reflected in ticket prices.